Videos
A sample of songs
Tommy McCraken
(RIP) Rest in Power Tommy McCracken 1938-2025
Singer extraordinaire. Had the honor of playing with him at Fritzy’s. Here is video from September 24th, 2024. He had a way of conducting the band, with hand signals, shouts and and stares. He’s give you a quick glance to keep you in line or waving his arm in windmill circle to keep you going if he liked your solo. He was particularity attuned to the cymbals and would stomp out the hits with his feet empathically. He was a joy and real blues man.
McCracken was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1938. The only child of Helen and Tom McCracken, Tommy enjoyed a religious upbringing. In his early years, he traveled extensively with his grandmother and grandfather as a featured Gospel soloist. Tommy's grandfather was the pastor at a church and Evangelized in and around Atlanta, Georgia before moving to Chicago, Illinois, where he lived until his passing in January 2025.
He started singing professionally in 1974 and formed his own band, "The Force of Habit" in 1975. Tommy committed himself to the blues in 1982 and since then, he became one of Chicago's top blues vocalist/entertainers. His debut CD "FINALLY..." is available from Blue Barron Music dot com.
Key to the Highway
"Key to the Highway" is a blues standard that has been performed
and recorded by several blues and other artists.
Blues pianist Charlie Segar first recorded the song in 1940.
Jazz Gillum and Big Bill Broonzy followed with recordings in 1940 and 1941, using an arrangement that has become the standard.
When Little Walter updated the song in 1958 in an electric Chicago blues style, it became a success on the R&B record chart.
